AUGUST / SEPTEMBER Bi Monthly Community Newsletter covering Piopio, Aria & Mahoenui Districts

Transcription

1 AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 Bi Monthly Community Newsletter covering Piopio, Aria & Mahoenui Districts PIOPIO RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB - A SEASON TO BE PROUD OF The players, committee and supporters of Piopio Rugby Club can all be very proud of the amazing achievements made this year. A better start could not have been asked for, when in the first round, the boys beat Waitomo and brought home the Dempsey Munro Cup. After playing some gritty, determined games, both home and away, they qualified third to make it into the top six, giving them a shot at the coveted Meads Shield. This placing was an improvement on last year and the highest for many years, so there was great cause for celebration at this first milestone. The second round proved to be a very exciting one for Piopio and they were rewarded with a large following of supporters coming to both local and away games. As always, the Waitete game generates a huge following and is one that everyone looks forward to. This year, for the first time in 23 years, Piopio beat Waitete, in Te Kuiti, and brought home the Hetet Shield. The last time Piopio had their name on this shield was in 1983 and it now hangs proudly in our clubrooms. With this win and another over the second ranked team, Taumarunui Eels, Piopio went on to qualify second for the semi finals and that granted them the all important home game. This was a huge day for our club, in very wet conditions but this didn t stop our very loyal supporters coming to the game with easily 300 people roaring on the sidelines. Unfortunately, Piopio was unable to repeat the performance from two weeks prior and went down to the Eels, However, the squad of 27 men can hold their heads up high and reflect on the great achievements they have made this year. They have committed themselves to every aspect of the Club, both on and off the field and to their team. It is this attitude that is reflected by the support they have received from the community and the players appreciate this loyal partnership. The committee are also very thankful for their sponsors and supporters who have helped the club get to where they are now and are looking forward to finishing off two big projects over the summer, replacing the field lights and having new carpet and lino in the clubrooms. To celebrate the success of the club and to farewell the old carpet, we are holding our prize giving at 7.30pm on Friday 11 th August 2017, at the clubrooms. This year we are really excited to be able to honour some of our players who have played 50 games for Piopio with blazers, which hasn t been done for sometime. Everyone is welcome but tickets are limited. Tickets can be collected from Shona at KC Honda or please contact Joy on Cost: $20 per person (includes a continuous supper.) Country spirit lives on as the Mahoenui Community celebrate the tenth Pig Hunt Competition anniversary. With record numbers in recent years, the committee have great plans for the prize giving day this year, Saturday 9th September. The essence of the day will remain the same as the opening back in 1998, when former residents Deborah McFarlane and son James (Jimbob) McFarlane gained support to run the first event. Collectively the committee created this fundraiser to support the ongoing maintenance of the Mahoenui Memorial Hall. Recognising pig hunting was a necessity in the area and a form of pest control and recreational gain, the two served a purpose. Today the competition now allows for a wider selection of entries for the more serious sportsman and for upcoming junior hunters. The heaviest boar and average weighted pig is highly contested each year, with significant prize money on offer for hunters over a three day period. Junior hunters vie for the heaviest possums, hares/ rabbits, goats and turkeys in the little critters sections. The competition is also renowned for its spot prizes as every entry is eligible. In a community who value the importance of their district, retaining the Mahoenui Hall as the hub of this rural settlement is priority and hosting the annual event is now a known success by hunters and families alike.

2 For hire Meeting Rooms available at Piopio College Upcoming events notices notices MAINLY MUSIC 10am HOUSIE An enthusiastic group meet to play Housie. 1.00m each Thursday at the Senior Citizens Rooms All Saints Church Moa Street, Piopio Music and movement for children 0-5yrs and their caregivers. Allison Kristen Pari whanau@k04d025.kohanga.ac. Te Kuiti Golf Croquet Wed 10am / Sat 10am Heather and Brian Richardson Computer skills Having trouble... We can help with internet banking, s, social media etc. You are welcome to join us for fun, laughter and serious involvement in trying to be the winner!! Come and have some fun, along with an exchange of news and views. SENIOR CITIZENS We have a meeting on the first Tuesday of every month at 10 am. Following this, a cuppa and DVD or a guest speaker is planned. All senior citizens are most welcome to attend. We have had some interesting ideas for To get better use from visits once the weather your computer, Tablets, I improves so if you are Pads, Phones. interested, please Senior Net rooms make contact with us. 51A King Street West, Te Kuiti ARIA SCHOOL PRODUCTION Matinee 11am // 7pm Thursday 17thAugust in the Aria Hall. Dave Walton All Saints Church Main Road, Piopio Worship service 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month. Service at 10am Reverend Jekheli Singh P AGE 2 Wendy Weinberg

3 Piopio Hall Bond Hire (Daily Hire-age) Rental per hour (max 4 hours) Audio Equipment - Hire Fee Audio Equipment Bond The above are all to be booked and paid for through the Waitomo District Council. The below is to be booked and paid for through the Committee. crockery hire: Table $10 per table Chairs $2 per chair Wine flutes/glasses 50c per glass Tumblers 50c per glass Place settings $2 per setting includes (dinner, side and dessert plate, mug, cutlery) Hello helloworld Travel Lovers! My 2018 Africa Safari is nearly sold out with only 3 seats left. Our super adventurous group will be escorted by Kobus du Toit who lives and works in Te Kuiti. Kobus' personal knowledge, expertise and private guide experience of East Africa, will ensure a The Aria Toy Library has enjoyed the benefits of being part of such a great little community recently. The Piopio Lions donated $300, which has enabled us to purchase two new Strider bikes to replenish our bike collection and King Country Honda have also very kindly donated a couple of promotional toy bikes to us this month. We have plans for these bikes, so watch this space. To both the Piopio Lions Club and King Country Honda, thank-you very much. We are very lucky indeed. In other news - We are very excited to offer the services of Laura Taylor Photography to capture some wonderful portraits of your children. This fundraiser, will allow the upgrade of new toys and replacing others, new lego being a top truly dynamic once in a lifetime tour experience. PLUS helloworld Te Kuiti is exclusively providing two more amazing 2018 tours to Tasmania and the Southern States of the USA. Think Elvis' Gracelands, cajun cooking in vibrant, colourful New Orleans and the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Both locations are extremely rich in culture, history and fantastic food. Don't miss out - register your interest now! P: // helloworld.co.nz/tekuiti lorrene.tekanawa@helloworld.co.nz priority and a true favourite. At just $10 a session this is a fantastic opportunity to get some affordable professional photographs of your children, without having to leave town. Get them framed and you have beautiful and easy Christmas gifts for loved ones. If you prefer, we are open Thursday mornings as always am. Moa Street, next to PGG Wrightsons. So pop on down and catch up with Lucille to secure a booking, and choose some new toys while you are at it! Aria Toy Library em:ariatoylibrary@gmail.com Aria Toy Library presents September bookings ariatoylibrary@gmail.com $10 Per session Bookings available now Opening 14 August PAGE 3

4 Our Piopio district has been hard hit with burglaries this year and it s continuing. The Mangaotaki, Mairoa and Ngapaenga in particular over the last six weeks. These burglars are targeting woolsheds and implement sheds situated close to the road. Quality shearing gear includes Heiniger and Lister portable plants, hand pieces and combs have been stolen. There have been seven quad bike thefts in our district this year. Keep an ear out as this gear will go back into the farming community. Thefts cost all rural people as insurance companies up your premiums to cover the costs. We all need to make the effort to make it harder for you to be targeted. TIPS Lock away valuable portable items (shearing plants, chainsaws, waterblasters, welders etc.) using locks and chains. Security lights on buildings Dog kennels placed near sheds or entrances Install gate sensors Place mesh inside glass windows Chain motorbikes and remove keys. Invest in security cameras and GPS units. Record all serial numbers (great job for kids on a wet day!) Write down unknown vehicle registrations and forward to Police. The Police just require that one bit of information that you may have or get to solve these burglaries. Especially while these burglaries are happening record any vehicle descriptions with date and time and forward to me via or phone. If you have any information on anything and you wish to remain anonymous contact: Piopio Police Tony.schrafft@police.govt.nz Crime stoppers We live in a great community so let s stop these few who are taking from us The Fish are still biting. To all those keen or interested in catching a fish or two in the Mokau area (snapper city), the Mokau Fishing Club is worth joining. We have monthly BBQ's at the Awakino Hotel during the summer and also have several Fishing Competitions for boats, surf and long line fisher folk. Great prizes, small entry fees and a very social atmosphere. We aim to preserve our special fishery and also promote fishing for kids. Our 'Take a Kid Fishing Day' is in January. We provide boats and safety gear and weather permitting, can cross the bar and bend some rods. Prizes to all and a BBQ after - no cost at all, thanks to Piopio Lions. Can't beat that! So anything to do with fishing or just the social side, contact: Duane McLean or Peter Hurley PS We have a long standing Secretary standing down so if anyone is keen and /or able please let us know. PAGE 4

5 THREE LITTLE BIRDS... MEL S UPCOMING Food and Cultural Tour to Vietnam is 7 th - 17 th October is fully booked. It promises to be another amazing trip and those of us unable to go are understandably mighty jealous. Birthdays were celebrated in June: the Fat Pigeon turned nine and the Owls Nest turned three. We celebrated by offering patrons a complimentary mini cupcake. THE NIGHT OWL: We are running our popular Quiz Evenings again every Thursday fortnight. The next 10th August, so grab some mates and come along for a fun night. A big thank you to our quiz sponsors. Half of all entry monies received will be donated to Piopio St John and Piopio Volunteer Fire Brigade, so a very worthy cause to come along and support these mighty fine folks. We have enjoyed some special occasions at the Night Owl including birthdays and family gatherings, so please spread the word that we are available for functions and events. OWLS NEST MOTEL: We have enjoyed excellent occupancy at the motel, thanks to a bit of contract work around the area, as well as tourists and travellers. If you have friends or family requiring accommodation, please enquire. FAT PIGEON CAFE: The café continues to be busy it was VERY busy over the recent school holidays but that is to be expected. Don t forget that our locals get to enjoy a Tuesday Treat... a regular espresso coffee (or tea) plus a muffin or scone for just $8. CRAFTY PIGEON: Exciting new items are arriving soon so please pop in and see Yvonne or Kim for the perfect gift for him, her, them and you! or Zoe // // theowlsnest@xtra.co.nz Piopio primary CELEBRATES SUCCESS Great results for inter-school Rangitoto cross country with Atiria Barrowcliffe winning the Intermediate girl's cross country race and Reece Omelvena gaining a second and Harley Denize a third place in the Junior boy's race. We also gained first place in the Junior boy's and Junior girl's teams events. Aria orienteering was another successful occasion with Tana Maguire achieving first in the Year 4 Boy's along with Che Benefield coming in third. We also had Reece Omelvena placed second in the Year 5/6 boys race. Our Year 4 team was placed second overall. The celebrations of Matariki engaged all students in making soup; peeling, chopping and dicing vegetables that were donated from our families. The soup was shared out and enjoyed with all the students at the end of the day. Attending the annual Whikoi mo Te Reo at Te Kuiti marae to present a play based on the Kaitiaki (guardians) of the Mokau River, and uniting with Piopio College to also share in their Matariki celebration was certainly a great finish to the festivities. Major renovations on the multi purpose room has now begin after receiving significant funds from outside funders. The interior will be completed in the coming weeks. Scott Lincoln PAGE 5

6 PIOPIO LIONS CLUB The Lions club recently had their Change of Officers and Stephen Cooper (owner of Piopio s Oily Rag Garage) is now the President of the Club. During the past year the club has supported several local organisations in various ways. Some of these are: Piopio Fire Brigade for reflective jackets $1260. Tainui Pet Day $150 Piopio Calf Club $200 Pureora Youth Camp $500 Senior Citizens Lunch $2650 Mokau Fishing Club- Take a Kid Fishing $500 Piopio Fire brigade replacement defibrillator pads $100 Aria Toy Library $300 The Lions Club holds a monthly tea meeting in the senior citizens club rooms for which we donate $900 per year. This is of great assistance to the senior citizens financially, as they are also on a tight budget. We have also committed approximately $2000, in conjunction with Piopio Caravan Park for another defibrillator for Piopio. We had four local organisations help us at the Fieldays, which allowed us to contribute $900 each to their causes. These were Piopio College Senior Netball for the UNIS tournament, Piopio College Ball Committee, Rural Women, Piopio Youth Sports Committee. The club also provides four trustees for the Board of the Piopio Retirement Centre. The Lions Club membership is slowly dwindling, to the extent that we are very concerned about our ability to carry on. We currently only have male members, and although we have never had an application from a woman to join, do we need to change? It would be a great loss to the district if the club was to fold. We need new members if you have ever thought about joining our Club do reconsider and give us a call. Gavin Todd Ken Perry Stock on roads Waitomo District Council receives regular complaints for matters relating to roaming stock. All farmers are reminded to mend fences regularly and keep their stock safely on their properties. Wandering stock may be impounded by Animal Control Officers and all costs associated with the impounding (officer time, transportation and sustenance) are recovered from the owner. If the stock is not claimed, it may be disposed of in accordance with the Impounding Act Enquiries regarding Animal Control can be made to Waitomo District Council on , or info@waitomo.govt.nz PAGE 6

7 TLC Talk As we all crank up the heater and stoke up that fire for winter, the TLC Action Group are turning up the publicity for the upcoming Waitomo Energy Services Customer Trust elections. Alongside my TLC Action Group peers Nigel Chetty (Otorohanga) and William Oliver (Te Kuiti) I have posted off my nomination to be considered as a trustee for WESCT, so I now need your support. WESCT Trust are the governing body over The Lines Company (TLC), and every three years an election is held to elect the trustees to represent the beneficiaries of WESCT. These trustees can only be nominated and voted on, by the beneficiaries of WESCT. If you live within the circulation area of the Piopio Birdtalk and you currently have a TLC account sent to you each month (your name is on the bill), you are a beneficiary of WESCT, and therefore have the opportunity to vote in the upcoming election in September (not to be confused with the General Election). The voting paper will be sent to you in the post, and it will not be in a TLC envelope. Therefore it is imperative that you do check your mail in September, fill in the voting paper and send it back in the envelope that will be provided. Online voting is not an option. If you want to check out why we are standing for election, we have got quite flash and have created a website; and you can also find us on Facebook, so please join our page to show your support and to keep abreast of what we are up to we are standing as a trustee to be your voice as a beneficiary. As I am still getting a lot of TLC customers who are WESCT beneficiaries who don t understand the governance and ownership of TLC, so; as I know everyone loves pictures, hopefully the attached image will provide a bit more clarity. [ if change is what you want with TLC, vote for the TLC Action Group three ticks for Erin Gray, Nigel Chetty and William Oliver ] erin Gray // wirihana_23@hotmail.com Understanding who you are voting for PIOPIO COLLEGE MATARIKI Since ancient times, to Māori, the sighting of the Pleiades constellation has marked the dawning of a new year. Traditionally, it was a time for reflection, to remember those who have passed away, to give thanks for the bounty of the land and look ahead to a new harvest. Today, it remains all those things; it also gives us a chance to celebrate and share the Māori culture. With Matariki Whare challenge now becoming an annual event at the college, it is a great platform for our students to find their voice and express their pride and passion. Our students are encouraged to take leadership within their whare and to promote values that express community involvement and support. Matariki week involves whānau groups coming together and competing against each other through a series of challenges such as Matariki kai, decorations, costume and the grand event the HAKA CHALLENGE! All culminating in the event that includes contributing schools, whanau and esteemed judges invited from around the district. This year our celebrations kicked off with a week of kai sharing. Each group creating delicious food, raising a grand total of $816. Every student and staff member in our kura stepped up and participated with PRIDE. From helping to set up and preparing kai to going hard with the waiata and haka, everyone had an important role to play in supporting their whānau. We had some excellent feedback from the community including some awesome words of affirmation from our Mayor Brian Hanna who was really impressed with the quality and structure of our afternoon. Guest performances by Piopio primary school added such depth to our day with the history of our local area and their performance Kaitiaki of the Mokau awa. We were also treated to a special item performed by local rising stars who filled our gymnasium with their stunning vocals. We must thank our sponsors who kindly gifted us some amazing prizes this year, we were overwhelmed by your generosity and willingness to support the students. So a MASSIVE thank you to the following businesses: Atkinson's & Associates, The Fat Pigeon, PGG Wrightsons Piopio, RD1 Piopio, The Warehouse and New World. A big thanks must also go to our judges, Roy Willison, Joanne Taitoko, Matarina and Rozel Coffin; our guests and parents who made a big effort to join our celebrations and our parent / whānau helpers who came in and supported our students on their kai days! Lastly A massive congratulations to our KOWHAI whānau who took out the number one spot and our Matariki Trophy for Ka mau te wehi, Kowhai! PAGE 7

8 Last month it was great to see so many of you at the Sir Colin Meads statue and exhibition launch in Te Kuiti. It was a great celebration, and we received great sponsorship support both locally, and nationally. This was not a council led or funded project, and was a significant project for the small Legendary Te Kuiti committee, and it is great to see this group grow in strength. I have always used the example of what Project Piopio Trust has done for Piopio to encourage them to promote and grow Te Kuiti, so it was good to see them step up. While it was great to recognise Sir Colin and his contribution to our district, and New Zealand, one of the key drivers was also to create another significant attraction for visitors to our district. We have had significant increases in visitors to this attraction, and our goal is to increase visitor numbers to our wider district, such as Piopio, Mokau and Benneydale. The Timber Trail continues to grow in user numbers year on year. As tourist numbers continue to rise, predictions are for the PAGE 8 current 3 million visitors to increase to 4.5 million by Currently visitor numbers to the Waitomo Caves are around 700,000, so there could be potentially 1 million visitors by Some of you may have seen me on TV 3 recently arguing strongly for a Border Levy to support more infrastructure funding to come directly from tourists. The simple principle is those that are significant users of infrastructure such as toilets and car parking as examples, should contribute to the funding of it. While the increase in visitor numbers may seem daunting, it also offers exciting opportunities. Most surveys of visitors to New Zealand, indicate that they want to see the New Zealand great outdoors, get at one with nature, visit rural farms, as well as the obvious hotspots- Waitomo, Rotorua, and Queenstown. When I talk with Mayor s from other rural areas, they all mention the real success of rural homestays, and Air B&B that are creating significant diversification opportunities for farmers. I know a couple that operate near Te Kuiti and Waitomo, and they are very busy for significant parts of the year. We are very well located to capitalise on such opportunities. Piopio is also well placed to capture visitors on route to Taranaki, and this will only increase after the lonely planet s rating of New Plymouth as a top 10 places to visit. Rukuhia Domain. Brian Hanna - Mayor Waitomo district Can I congratulate all those involved in the Rukuhia Domain, the place looks fantastic. I know Kate Carter and her committee have worked hard on improving the running of this great domain over the past few years. To all those involved with Piopio Rugby Club, congratulations on a great season, building on several strong showings over last few years. I have really enjoying joining the big crowds of supporters that have followed both home and away games, it is a great effort by the hardworking committee, and is great to be part of your club. It was particularly enjoyable being at Rugby Park to see your victory over Waitete. In closing, I wish Kim Tatham and Matt Sheriff all the best for their new venture with the new dental practice in Piopio. The building looks great, and I enjoyed a tour of it with Kim recently. I know that Kim s drive and determination will make this a successful new business for Piopio. Sport Waikato is looking to acknowledge 2017 sporting excellence in the region. District Sports Awards nominations are open from Thursday 1 June 2017until Thursday 28 September Each district in the Waikato region will have its own awards event, with category winners going forward to be considered for the prestigious Brian Perry Waikato Regional Sports Awards held in January Sport Waikato CEO Matthew Cooper said following a successful Olympic year, this year s events such as World Masters Games, the Rugby League World Cup, the British Lions Tour and the America s Cup yachting reminds us to recognise our own local sporting talent and volunteers. We have lots to celebrate so many of our sportspeople and emerging athletes are based in the Waikato region and it s time to celebrate their achievements. It s also a time to recognise and acknowledge the hard work of those who support sport the administrators, coaches, officials and volunteers whose time is spent helping our athletes to achieve, said Cooper. Regional Capability and Events Coordinator Gilly Alexander wants clubs, schools and sports organisations to take the time to fill in a nomination form so that the achievements of a district can be highlighted. Nominations online is an easy process, from Administrator of the Year to Sportsperson of the Year - our categories reflect the various roles in sport.

9 BAR & RESTAURANT Aria Cosmopolitan Club (07) Cloverleaf Cafe (07) Fat Pigeon Cafe (07) Night Owl Bar & Eatery (07) Piopio Cosmopolitan Club (07) Piopio Berry Orchards (07) HEALTH Big Sky Physiotherapy & Acupuncture Erin Barclay (07) or Cancer Society Kaye Nelson (07) Helen Verry (07) Ear Health Ginny Opie (07) King Country Chiropractic Dr Scott Mouatt (07) Mob: E: Recreation Centre Kimberley Cody (07) M: YOUTH ACTIVITIES Aria Playcentre Emma Darke (07) Aria Toy Library Librarian: Lucille mb: E: Curious Keas Daycare Stephanie Brough (07) Kohanga Piopio Kristen Pari (07) Mainly Music Alison Singleton (07) Piopio Playcentre Rachael Laver (07) COMMUNITY SERVICES & business Housie Afternoon (Thursdays) Shirley Bardsley (07) Justice of Peace Kath Tucker (07) Rose Young (07) Vikki Hall (07) Clive Fredericks (07) Laver Marine (07) (021) Marriage Celebrants Rose Young (07) Oily Rag Garage & Tyre services (07) Piopio College Community Library 18 Aria Road, Piopio Jenelle Burnell (07) Piopio Garden Circle Cheryl Austin (07) Piopio Lions Club Stephen Cooper (07) Gavin Todd (07) or Ken Perry (07) Piopio Memorial Hall Vikki Watson Steph Brough (07) Crockery/Cutlery/Glass Hire) Piopio/Paearuhe Retirement Village Jenny Brodie (07) Opportunity Shop/Mustard Seed Colleen Strahan (07) Seniors Exercise Classes Wendy Weinberg (07) Senior Citizens Organisation Bookings: Beryl Huia (07) The Old Piopio Post Office Art Gallery (022) Vanilla Blonde & Carley Jane Beauty (07) Waitanguru Rural Women Wendy Coup E: ACTIVITIES & ATTRACTIONS Hairy Feet Waitomo (07) Piopio & Districts Museum John Petre (07) Key available at Piopio Superette Piopio Market Day Colleen (07) Piopio POP (Tui Park) Snow Nicol (07) Key for toilet available from the Cloverleaf Tearooms or Snow Nicol SPORTS & Aria Squash Club Terry Alcock (07) Light Horse Club Koa Gower Hayleigh Bird (07) Line Dancing Club Linda Oliver (07) Piopio-Aria Golf Club Tracey Mulligan (07) Piopio Bowling Club Eileen Tony (07) Piopio Domain Board Kate Carter (07) Piopio Rugby Football Club President: Peter Hurley (07) Secretary: Joy Jefferies (07) Piopio Swimming Club Pres: Lee Alcock (07) Pony Club Anna Nelson (07) Heather Pease (07) Te Kuiti Tramping Club Jenny Brodie Ph (07) Tennis Club Reon Verry (07) The King Country Hunt President: Joy Hurley Trail Bikes & Moto Cross Track Darren Lupton (07) Waitomo Ski Club Ian Kerr (07) Waitomo Aero Club Pete Voyce (07) John Carter (07) Walking Group Jennifer Kearns (07) PAGE 9

10 [ [ Proudly supported by our local businesses ] ] / Classified Advertisements: $5 per 3-line advertisement Local Business: $35/issue - approximately Package: Annual $200. Includes six advertisements and one special 1/3 page business card size My Business article annually Clubs & Organizations: Free up to 75 words Editor Donna Pari piopiobirdtalk@gmail.com Out of Area Casual: $45/issue approximately business card size Accounts Maree Jones awakau44@gmail.com The finer details... Community feedback and articles are welcomed and appreciated. The views published in this publication are not those of the editor but of the contributors. Articles must not be longer than 280 words and may have accompanying photos. We reserve the right to edit any material. P AGE 10 ADVERTISING CHARGES